What is the PCT international application?

Patent Cooperation Treaty is an international treaty (hereinafter referred to as "PCT") which is produced under the guidance of the principle of Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and is beneficial for patent applicants to obtain patent protection. The treaty was signed in Washington in June 1970, and came into force in June 1978, and came into effect in June of the same year. PCT application refers to the international patent application filed according to the patent cooperation treaty, also known as PCT international application. As long as the applicant submits a PCT international application, he can request the protection of his invention and creation in all member countries of the treaty at the same time. This application has the effect of a formal national application in a designated country from the date of international application. PCT international application is first submitted by the patent applicant to its competent acceptance bureau, published internationally by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization, and searched internationally by international search units. If the applicant requests, the international patent application may be preliminarily examined by the international preliminary examination unit. The purpose of international retrieval is to provide existing technical information related to international patent applications; The purpose of international preliminary examination is to provide preliminary examination opinions on the novelty, creativity and industrial practicability of international patent applications. It should be noted that PCT application is only a patent application system, not an authorization system. Patent applicants can only apply for a patent through PCT, and cannot directly obtain patent authorization through PCT. In order to obtain the patent authorization of a certain country, the patent applicant must also go through the formalities of PCT application entering the national phase, and the patent office of that country will examine the patent application. If it meets the requirements of the patent law of the country, a patent right shall be granted. China National Intellectual Property Administration Patent Office of China is the competent acceptance bureau for nationals or residents of China, and it is also an international retrieval unit and an international preliminary examination unit. An applicant in China who files an international patent application shall obtain the consent of the relevant departments in People's Republic of China (PRC) and the State Council, and may submit a national patent application to the China National Intellectual Property Administration Patent Office or an international patent application to the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization.